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This species is accepted, and its native range is Tropical & Subtropical Old World.

[FTEA]

Cyperaceae, K Hoenselaar, B. Verdcourt & H. Beentje. Hypolytrum, D Simpson. Fuirena, M Muasya. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 2010

Type
Type: “Habitat in Malabariae aquosis arenosis”, lectotype: “Tsjeli” in Rheede, Hort. Malab., 12: 135, t. 71, 1693, designated by Simpson in Cafferty & Jarvis (ed.), Taxon 53: 180 (2004)
Morphology General Habit
Annual or short-lived perennial.
Morphology Roots
Roots shallow, white and brown.
Morphology Stem
Stems 3–10, tufted, 5–80 cm long (excluding the inflorescence bract – up to 120 cm long when including this!), terete, 1–8 mm thick, hollow or filled with pith, chambered, smooth and with shallow ridges
Morphology Leaves
Leaves absent. Leaf sheaths pink (basal ones) to grey, usually much wider than the stem, ending in a broad lobe
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a dense head of up to 25 spikelets, lateral because overtopped by the erect main inflorescence bract, this 6–40 × 0.1–0.8 cm, structure like stem and visibly chambered by transverse septa.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets red-brown and green, 6–18 × 4–10 mm.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes brown to reddish brown with green midrib, triangular, 4–6.5 mm long, slightly concave, acute to mucronate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Perianth
Perianth absent
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 3
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Nutlet white turning to almost black, slightly obovoid, 1.8–2 × 1.5–1.7 mm, 3-angled, smooth; apex with or without minute flat rim.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Note that flowers may also be present at the base of the plant, in the axils of the sheaths.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style
Styles to 5 cm long, nutlet brown or black, ± globose, 3–5 mm across, remaining in sheath base. Style 3-branched
Ecology
Pool edges, waterholes, sides of watercourses and the sea, on mud or in up to 30 cm deep water (within the grassland/wooded grassland/Acacia bushland zone); 0–1200 m
Note
Close to S. senegalensis but differs in larger and smooth nutlets, less concave and more acuminate glumes.
Distribution
Range: Widespread in Africa from Senegal to Sudan and Ethiopia and south to Mozambique and Angola; also Mascarene Islands and India Flora districts: U2 U3 K4 K7 T3 T5 T6 T7 T8 Z P

[FSOM]

M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia, Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS

Morphology General Habit
Robust tufted annual with few–many crowded stems; stems usually 4–30 cm long (excluding the stem-like bract above the inflorescence) or 12–70 cm long when including the bract, terete
Morphology Leaves Leaf sheaths
Leaf-sheaths often much wider than the stem; blades absent
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence of few–numerous crowded, apparently lateral spikelets in a dense head; main inflorescence-bract stem-like, 6–40 cm long and 1–8 mm wide, with conspicuous transverse septa, much longer than the actual stem which ends at the inflorescence
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets 6–18 x 4-10 mm, ovoid, acute, often variegated grey, greenish and reddish brown
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes 4–6.5 mm long, ovate-triangular, golden to reddish brown with a greenish slightly excurrent midrib
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style
Style with 3 stigmas
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Nutlet 1.8–2 mm long, somewhat triangular, smooth, almost black when mature
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Some basal flowers usually present and producing more globular nutlets, 4–5 x 3–4 mm.
Distribution
S2 Old World tropics.
Ecology
Altitude below 100 m.

Native to:

Angola, Assam, Bangladesh, Benin, Botswana, Burkina, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Provinces, Caprivi Strip, Chad, East Himalaya, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Hainan, India, Jawa, Kenya, KwaZulu-Natal, Lesser Sunda Is., Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, New Guinea, Niger, Nigeria, Northern Provinces, Northern Territory, Philippines, Queensland, Senegal, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Sulawesi, Swaziland, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Uganda, Vietnam, Zambia, Zaïre, Zimbabwe

Schoenoplectiella articulata (L.) Lye appears in other Kew resources:

Date Reference Identified As Barcode Type Status
Nov 1, 2003 Pollard, B.J. [442], Cameroon Schoenoplectus articulatus K000746195
Kerr, A.F.G. [3877], Thailand Schoenoplectus articulatus K000595038
Kerr, A.F.G. [11100], Thailand Schoenoplectus articulatus K000595039
Kerr, A.F.G. [6740], Thailand Schoenoplectus articulatus K000595040
Bidgood, S. [6342], Tanzania Schoenoplectus articulatus K000468083
Bidgood, S. [6063], Tanzania Schoenoplectus articulatus K000468362
Smitinand, T. [5420], Thailand Schoenoplectus articulatus K000595041
Chantaranothai, P. [1626], Thailand Schoenoplectus articulatus K000595042

First published in Lidia 6: 20 (2003)

Accepted by

  • Browning, J. & al. (2020). Flora Zambesiaca 14: 1-455. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  • Darbyshire, I., Kordofani, M., Farag, I., Candiga, R. & Pickering, H. (eds.) (2015). The Plants of Sudan and South Sudan: 1-400. Kew publishing, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  • Hoenselaar, K., Verdcourt, B. & Beentje, H. (2010). Cyperaceae Flora of Tropical East Africa: 1-466.
  • Figueiredo, E. & Smith, G.F. (2008). Plants of Angola Strelitzia 22: 1-279. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
  • Govaerts, R. & Simpson, D.A. (2007). World Checklist of Cyperaceae. Sedges: 1-765. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Literature

Kew Backbone Distributions

  • Browning, J. & al. (2020). Flora Zambesiaca 14: 1-455. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  • Mostaph, M.K. & Uddin, S.B. (2013). Dictionary of plant names of Bangladesh, Vasc. Pl.: 1-434. Janokalyan Prokashani, Chittagong, Bangladesh.
  • Wu, Z. & Raven, P.H. (eds.) (2010). Flora of China 23: 1-515. Missouri Botanical Garden Press, St. Louis.
  • Hoenselaar, K., Verdcourt, B. & Beentje, H. (2010). Cyperaceae Flora of Tropical East Africa: 1-466.
  • Figueiredo, E. & Smith, G.F. (2008). Plants of Angola Strelitzia 22: 1-279. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
  • Brunel, J.F., Hiepo, P. & Scholz, H. (eds.) (1984). Flore Analytique du Togo Phanérogames: 1-751. GTZ, Eschborn.

Flora of Tropical East Africa

  • Lidia 6, 1: 20 (2003).

Art and Illustrations in Digifolia
Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew

Flora of Somalia
Flora of Somalia
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

Flora of Tropical East Africa
Flora of Tropical East Africa
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

Herbarium Catalogue Specimens
'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.

Kew Backbone Distributions
The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families 2021. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
© Copyright 2017 World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone
The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families 2021. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
© Copyright 2017 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0